Paper boxes



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(No Model.)

B. T. .STEBER MACHINE POP MAKING PAPPR 80x88.

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(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2. B. T. STEBER.

MACHINE FOR MAKING PAPER BOXES.`

No. 279,285. Patented June 12,1883.

l UNITED STATES 'INIENT OFFICE.

BERNARD T. sTERER, oF Urrea, NEw YORK.

MACHINE FOR MAKING PAPER-BOXES.

4 SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 279,285., dated June 12, 1883.

Application filed October 30, 1882 (No model.)

To @ZZ whom-"zit may concern Be it known that I, BERNARD T. STEBER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Utica,

in the county of Oneida and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Making Boxes of Paper or other` Flexible Material for Matches or for other Uses, of which the following is a specification. Heretofore in themanufacture of boxes, of paper or other flexible material, by machinery,

consisting of a vertically-reciprocating plunger, rigid die-walls, and folding devices in the same vertical passage-way as that in which the for the yielding of the walls to accommodatel plunger is moved, difficulty has been experienced from the fact that no provision is made paper of varying thickness, and a like diiiiculty has been experienced, with paper-box machines whereinV fingers and springs have been employed, in keeping the complicated system of controllingl ngers and springs in working order, as the variation in the thickness of paper or other material often prevents them from properly performing their office; and the object of my invention is to produce a machine whereby the paper or other flexible material used can be automatically folded into the shape of a box in the simplest possible manner, such machine being simple and positive in its operation, and thus rendering the use of a system of complicated lingers and springs unnecessary, and obviating the difficulties experienced from the use of the same.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is i a top view of my improved machine, parts not exposed being shown by dotted lines, and the cut paper being also shown in position fory folding by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the machine, the plunger and piece of paper being shown in dotted lines in the position they occupy when the piece of paper which is to be folded into a box is ready to have the first fold imparted' to it, and the plunger also being vshown by full lines in the position it occupies after it has been so operated as to form the first fold in the piece of paper. Fig. 3 is avertical transverse detail section of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a detail broken longitudinal section, showing the plunger with the piece of paper folded so as bear upon its bottom and two sides and forward end, and ready to be folded again upon its sides, and then upon the end and top of the plunger. Fig. `5 is a detail longitudinal section, showingthe piece of paper folded down act of finishing the box, or the plunger with paper box upon it passing between the nal pair of folders. Fig. 8 shows in perspective the paper as cut for formingabox; Fig. 9, the

paper as first folded, Fig. 10, as with its second fold; Fig. 11, as with its third fold; and Fig. 12, as with its final fold, or in form of a nished box, and Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the finished box shown in Fig. 12 turned over so as to show the short intermediate lap of the box.

In the views, A is a foundation-piece, upon which guideways a, and a rock-shaft, b, are mounted. Upon the rock-shaft a vertically-vibratinglever, B, is applied rigidly, and between the guideways a slide, C, with a plunger-rod, C', and plunger C2, attached to it, is applied, s0 as to move horizontally in a longitudinal direction. The plunger-rod is iitted loosely between vupright guide-pieces c, and is connected loosely by a pendent eye -bracket, d, to the lever B, while its rear end is attached to a rock-shaft, e, journaled inthe slide. The plunger is of oblong form, with rectangular or other properly-shaped sides, accordingly as the style of boxes to be made may require. rlhe plunger can be swung up to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2 by moving the lever B, with its rock-shaft b, and the plungerrod, with its rock-shaft e, and it can be moved horizontally when down upon the platform A, as shown in full black lines in Fig. 2, by moving the slide C between the guideways either forward or backward.

In the bottom of the bed-plate of the foundation a T-shaped slot, f, is provided, and be- IOO low the plunger' a T- shaped spring-holding bridge-piece, g, is applied, it being fastened in rear of the plunger to the eye bracket, as shown. This T- shaped bridge-piece passes down through thc slot f when the plunger is resting on the bed-plate of the foundation, and its forward end occupies a position,during the act of feeding, on a plane a little higher than that on which the paper fromwhich the boxes are to be made is fed into the machine, audits office is to hohl up the paper untilithas passed over and beyond the vertical sides of bothuof the side walls of the die which forms the first fold in the paper from which the boxis formed. -This is a very important part of my invention, as it avoids premature bending down of the paper into the passage-way ofthe plunger by the same incidentally striking against one ofthe side walls of said passage-way. On the sides of the plunger yielding vertical walls hy ly are provided, and from the upper edges of these walls horizontal tables 17 extend. These side walls and tables are stencd to bent spring-plates), which are attached to the bedplate of the foundation, so as to permit the p lates and tables to move horizontally a sufficient extent to accommodate the variant thickness of paper or other material which may come between the side walls and the plunger in the manufacture of the boxes. Forward of and attached to or forming parts of the springs are oblique vertical portions 7.', which touch with their forward ends the outer surfaces of the valls 11y h. lhcse spring portions, together with the side walls, aid in controlling thc paper during the impartation thereto of thc first fold, the portions l of the paper resting against the sidewalls when the plunger has descended from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 to the position shown in full black lines in same ligure. The tables 1', together with the bridge-piece g, support the portions .l and 3 ofthe paper until it is operated vupon by the downward stroke of the plunger.

Beyond the tables fi; and witha space, Z, between it and the tables, is a broader table, vf, which serves for supporting the portions 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the paper when it is first fed into the machine and until the plunger has folded it into the form shown in Fig. S). The fold at :Jc is effected by the paper being forced down through the s pace Z and kept against the end ofthe plunger by the edge ofthe table fi. Bcneath this table a chamber, fit', is provided, and at one end of this chamber a pair of divergent curved spring-folders, m, are applied, as shown, and at the other end another pair of beveled convergent oblique folders, a, are provided, the latter being applied to a plate fastened to the under side ofthe table fi. The folders m serve for folding the portions 2 of the piece of paper against the folded portions lthereof while the plunger is passing under the table if, and at the same time the under surface of the table i and the plate fold the portion 5 upon the top of the plunger, and the forward movement of the plunger being continued, the inclined edges o1. of the folders a turn the portions 6 and 7 downward against the sides ofthe plunger upon the folded portions 2 and l., while the oblique vertical sides of these folders iirmly fold the portions 6 and 7 in the position shown in Fig. i12. The box being now completed, thcplunger is moved beyond the rear end of the table far enough to admit ofthe removal of the box.

To my machine can be attached the feed cutting and gluing contrivances which are now in common use, and in operating with my machine the paper will be supplied from rolls the same as used in ordinarytelegraph-machines, and while being fed sidewise of the machine, as signified by dotted lines NV NV in Fig. l, it will be prepared with glue, then cut, as signified in Fig. S, and when it is fed under the plunger it will be cut otf to the proper length, and as soon as this occurs the plunger will be made to desceml and slide, as hereinbefore set forth. 7

The lever which vibrates the plunger may be limited in its upward` movement by a gagestop, o, which is applied to the rock-shaft 1), and strikes against the bearing o, as shown, or by any other suitable stopping device; and this lever may be operated either by hand or power mechanism connected with it in any suitable manner.

The plunger-slide may be limited in its bachward movement by a gage-stop, lp, and it may be moved back and forth either by hand or power mechanism, as may be deemed best. Either a lever connected to the plunger-slide in any suitable manner or a toothed rack and pinion may be adopted as the means for reciprocating the plunger in a rectilinear direction. I contemplate employing mechanism or means in such a manner that the vibrating movement of the plunger and the reciprocating nievement of the same will be timed so that when the plunger has descended to make the first fold in the paper the longitudinal movement will immediatelythereafter take place.

ldo not confine my invention to a plunger which slides, as the vibrating plunger may be employed in connection with a sliding chamber in which the vfolders m n are applied and moved toward and past the plunger.

lOO

IIO

lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l.. rEhe vibrating lever, in combination with the vibrating plunger, the foundation, yielding side walls, and tables, whereby the first fold is made in the paper or other material, substantially as described. Y

2. The vibrating lever, which raises and lowers the vibrating and sliding plunger, in combination with the plunger, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The bridge-piece between the side malls, in combination with the plunger and yielding side walls, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4'. The combination of the slotted foundation, the bridge-piece, and the plunger, substantially as and for the purpose described.

The bridge-piece connected with the vibrating lever and loosely fitted upon the plunger-rod, as at d, in combination with a plunger whichis arranged to vibrate and reciprocate, substantially and for the purpose described.

6. The combination of ineans consisting of the yielding side walls, h h, tables 'i fi', and foundation A, which aid to forni the bottom or end 4 and onerside, 3, and the two inside folds or laps, l 1, ofthe two opposite sides, 6 and 7, of the box,` and the vibrating lever and vibrating plunger, substantially as and for the purpose described.

V AXVitnesses:

7.4 In combination with the vibrating and sliding plunger and devices which aid to effect the first folds of the paper, the diverging folders which form the two side folds or laps, 2 2, 2o of the bottom 4 of the box, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. In combination with the vibrating and sliding plunger and the devices employed in effecting the first and second folds of the paper, 25 the converging finishing-folders with inclined lower edges, whereby the opposite sides, 5, of the box and two outside folds or laps, 6 and 7,

.arerforlned and the box finished, substantially as described. 4

' BERNARD T. STEBER.

, J AMES E. HALL,

J. L. JONES. 

